The Howling (1981)

After a bizarre and near deadly encounter with a serial killer, a television newswoman is sent to a remote mountain resort whose residents may not be what they seem.

Director:

Joe Dante

Writers:

Gary Brandner (based on the novel by), John Sayles (screenplay by)

Stars:

Dee Wallace, Patrick Macnee, Dennis Dugan

2 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Dee Wallace	...	Karen White
Patrick Macnee	...	Dr. George Waggner
Dennis Dugan	...	Chris
Christopher Stone	...	R. William 'Bill' Neill
Belinda Balaski	...	Terry Fisher
Kevin McCarthy	...	Fred Francis
John Carradine	...	Erle Kenton
Slim Pickens	...	Sam Newfield
Elisabeth Brooks	...	Marsha
Robert Picardo	...	Eddie
Margie Impert	...	Donna
Noble Willingham	...	Charlie Barton
James Murtaugh	...	Jerry Warren
James MacKrell	...	Lew Landers (as Jim McKrell)
Kenneth Tobey	...	Older Cop

Storyline

In a red light district, newswoman Karen White is bugged by the police, investigating serial killer Eddie Quist, who has been molesting her through phone calls. After police officers find them in a peep-show cabin and shoot Eddie, Karen becomes emotionally disturbed and loses her memory. Hoping to conquer her inner demons, she heads for the Colony, a secluded retreat where the creepy residents are rather too eager to make her feel at home. There also seems to be a bizarre connection between Eddie Quist and this supposedly safe haven. And when, after nights of being tormented by unearthly cries, Karen ventures into the forest and makes a terrifying discovery.

---

Plot Keywords:

werewolf | silver bullet | psychiatrist | forest | female full frontal nudity | 

---

Taglines:

All your nightmares are about to be transformed into one single inescapable fear!

---

Genres:

Horror

---

Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

In one scene, Erle Kenton (John Carradine) mentions UFOs and cattle mutilation. Around the time he wrote the screenplay for "The Howling", John Sayles was also working on a screenplay for Steven Spielberg known as "Night Skies", which involved UFOs and cattle mutilation. However, the project was dropped when Spielberg chose to make E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) instead.

---

Goofs

When Marsha makes the scratches on Bill's back, his back smooth and hair free. Yet the shot before showing them turning into werewolves, they were both covered with hair.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Dr. George Waggner: Repression. Repression is the father of neurosis, of self-hatred. Now, stress results when we fight against our impulses. We've all heard people talk about animal magnetism, the natural man, the noble savage, as if we'd lost something valuable in our long evolution into civilized human beings. Now there's a good reason for this.

---

Crazy Credits

At the very end of the credits, there is a brief clip from The Wolf Man (1941).

---

Alternate Versions

The original uncut Fake Porn Movie (parts of it can be seen in the sex shop scene) was supposed to be included on the UK DVD by Momentum. But the BBFC rejected it due to "serious concerns about the portrayal of sexual violence".

---

Connections

Referenced in The Cinema Snob: Unidentified Flying Oddball (2017)

---

Soundtracks

Transformation
(uncredited)
Composed by Pino Donaggio
Conducted by Natale Massara

User Reviews

Slow to get going

A very long build up to the first scare, and even then it's not at all scary by today's standards. But there are still some enjoyable aspects. The storyline is well developed, the acting is pretty good, and the gags work well. The werewolf transformation is first rate, especially for the 80s. A pretty good movie in the end.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

10 April 1981 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Howling

Filming Locations:

Westlake Village, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$17,985,893

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$17,985,893

Company Credits

Production Co:

Embassy Pictures, International Film Investors, Wescom Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1